Love worth waiting for
by AngelsFairyTail
Summary: All he needed was a memory to keep his love alive.


_Love worth waiting for._

_Written for luffy fans writing competition._

Natsu stood at the edge of the ocean, staring out into the sunset. An array of pinks and golds filled the sky and reflected upon the deep blue of the sea. It was peaceful, serene but for some reason his heart ached. This beach, was oh so familiar to him, having held such heart warming memories.

He could hear the sounds of the waves lashing out across the sand and the seagulls as they flew by. He should be happy, being here after so long, so why wasn't he? He replayed the memories that he held close to his heart. The ones from his youth. The memories haunted his dreams and constantly lingered upon his thoughts during the day.

He could never stop thinking of her.

Lucy. The girl that stole his heart. They had known each other since they were children, having grown up right next door to each other. The had become friends the moment they met, as if something just clicked between them. Her father was never too fond of him but allowed it since it was her mothers wish.

They attended different schools, Natsu having went to the local school while she attended the private elite ones. The only time they were able to spend together was in secrecy at night during the week or occasionally on the weekend. Her father had always tried to keep her busy, to keep her from getting to involved with what he claimed to be the wrong people.

In their final year of junior high, Natsu had realized just how much she had meant to him. It took him months to finally get up the courage to confess and right before he could say anything, she gave him the news.

She was moving.

She didn't tell him, but he knew the reason why. Her father didn't want her around him anymore. He could see the feelings that the pinkette had just recently come to realize he held for the mans daughter. He figured that putting some distance between them would do the trick. But no matter the distance, nothing could ever tame the ever growing feelings he felt for the blond. Even after so long of not seeing her, he still loved her just as much as he did that day, if not more.

His dark eyes continued to gaze out at the very sunset that he and Lucy used to watch. He couldn't help but wonder where she was. He would lay awake at night wondering if she had found a new life. If she had fallen in love herself, married or even had kids. The thought hurt but he couldn't rule out the possibility. In the end, he was never able to tell her just how he felt. How deep his feelings truly ran nor how much he yearned for them to be more than best friends.

His love for the blond never died and he was unwilling to move on no matter what his friends said. If they had found someone to love as he had, then they would understand. He had grown distant from them, having friends around only seemed to remind him of the one that was missing in his life. He could still remember her smile as if he saw it just yesterday, her laugh as if it was the song that woke him up each morning and he could still remember the deep brown of her eyes that would gaze at him with such warmth that his heart would skip a beat.

How did he not realize sooner just what he felt for her? Maybe he was too young at the time to understand what he was feeling, he would never know. But what he did know, is that he planned to keep his promise. The last night they spent together, they made a promise. A promise to find each other once more and he wouldn't break such a promise.

After she had left, he tried all he could to seem better in the eyes of her father even if he wasn't around. He studied harder and began to ace all his tests. He got into a great college and left out with several different degree's. He got a job that any man should be proud of in order to appeal to the man once he found the love of his life once again. But on the inside, he knew that he would never be good enough in Jude's eyes.

There were several times that he actually believed the blonds father, having convinced himself that Lucy deserved better. But once he thought back to all the men that her father would have set her up with, he couldn't stop the grimace from appearing on his face. Lucy never liked those kind of guys. The guys who thought that others should worship the ground they walked on, as if they were some sort of god and thought that nothing would ever be good enough for them.

She hated the stuffy dresses, the layers upon layers of make-up that the girl clearly didn't need. She hated just how tight the maids would tie her corset, or how they would watch her diet and tell her that she couldn't afford to get fat. Her father would push her to study subjects that are only taught in college, force her to train constantly in the art of acting like an heiress. At least that's what he called it.

The blond man wanted her to act like a spoiled rich kid. To want the fancy cars and all the dressy clothes. He wanted her to want the handsome men that crawled at her feet and threw money at her father just to have a chance with her. But most of all, he just wanted her away from Natsu. He kept quiet for quite some time, just watching from a distance as their relationship progressed. He never said very much to him nor about him, having spoke his opinion when they first met Natsu.

Layla refused to let Jude interfere with the friendship between the two children, and she would smile as she watched them frolic and play. But all that changed. In junior high, just months before they moved, Layla had passed away. And now Jude had nothing to hold him back.

Both Lucy and Jude were distraught over the loss of their loved one but Jude took it the worse. He began to close himself off to the rest of the world, only making himself known to Lucy when he wanted her to meet one of his clients sons or he needed something from her. At that point, the maids were the only ones who she saw while at home.

Jude gave it several months before he made his move. Before he forced Lucy to leave behind the man that loved her so dearly. He remembered the phone call that night. He could her the sobs through the phone and knew right away who it was. Worry took over him as he told her to meet him in their usual spot. The very same one he was standing in right now.

They stood there for hours, her just sobbing in his arms. He would hold her gently, whispering softly to her that things would turn out okay but deep inside, he knew that they wouldn't. She was moving, and there was nothing he could do about it. He had managed to get her to leave with a smile gracing her beautiful face. Her eyes hopeful and filled with the promise that they had just made.

It's been eleven years since then. Eleven long and agonizing years of not knowing. The uncertainty is what was really killing him. Even if she were to move on, as long as she was happy than he could be happy too. But what if she wasn't? So many questions ran through his head night and day that it made it hard for him to think straight. At the age of twenty five, he found himself wishing that he could at least see her one last time. Just to know how she was. With a sigh, the man turned his back to the setting sun and walked away with a small tear running from his onyx eyes.

He found himself standing in that spot once again. Each year, on the anniversary of the day that she left, he would come back. He wasn't sure if he was actually hoping to see her, or if he just wanted to return to the place that held his memories of her. Three more years have passed and he hasn't heard a word from her nor of her. His friends never knew the blond in which he was so fond of and he knew no one that she did.

There was no one to confirm whether or not she was alright. His fears grew with age, knowing that by now, at the age twenty eight, she has more than likely moved on. He could only pray that the woman of his dreams somehow managed to find happiness in whatever life she was living. He was no longer able to shed tears, having cried a lifetimes worth in those fourteen years that they have been apart.

He stood upon the beach, just wishing, hoping and praying for some sign that she was alright. Anything to stifle the fear that constantly gnawed at him from the inside. Most of his days seemed to run into each other now. Nothing really stood out when he looks back. Each day seemed long yet dull and maybe even lifeless to him. He replayed the passed week and realized that he had done most of it on auto pilot, never once really paying attention to what he was doing.

Is this what is to come of his life? Forever longing for a woman that he may never be able to see again? Always living as if life wasn't worth living until he found her? Yes, how could he ever think that he could live a normal life without knowing? And how could anyone expect that of him? The sunset still looked the same as it did all those years ago. Nothing really seemed to change in this place. As if time stood still here, leaving it as his own little piece of heaven.

The sun was setting more and he knew that his time was up. He took a deep breath before a scent lingered in his nose. His eyes widened a fraction, the scent was light and barely there. For all he knew, he could be imagining it. His heart had leaped at the smell, as if knowing just what it reminded him of. He didn't want to get his hopes up, knowing that she might not be the only one who smelled such a way but he couldn't help the sliver of hope the filled his eyes.

He turned, ever so slowly to the docks several feet away. He stood there, staring at the figure standing upon the large wooden boards, her light blue sundress blowing gently in the breeze. She wore a large tan sunhat upon her golden halo of hair and she stood with her eyes closed and her head tilted back.

Upon the sight of her, his heart began to race. The tears that he thought he could no longer shed, once more filled his eyes and began to cloud his vision before he wiped them away to continue staring at the blond standing there. He remained frozen, as if afraid that any sort of movement would cause him to wake up from this beautiful dream.

As if sensing someone's stare, the blond beauty turned in his direction. Her deep brown orbs met with his own charcoal once before a smile spread over her pink lips. Natsu's own grin grew as he realized that it was the very same smile that he knew so well from his youth. Before he knew what he was doing, he began to run, his feet taking him to the one he had been waiting for, to the girl he had been searching for for half his life.

Fourteen long years of not seeing her were worth it. Just to see that smile upon her face. He stopped, only a foot away and gazed down at the girl who had captured his heart so long ago. Her smile grew, even if only the slightest and a hint of playfulness filled her mocha brown eyes. The tears continued to pour down his cheeks but he paid no mind, his attention fully upon the woman in front of him.

"Lucy." Her name came out as nothing but a whisper upon his tongue but she heard. Just being able to say her name out loud once more was enough to send such blissful sensations through him. Word would never express just how happy he was at this very moment.

"Natsu." She said in that sweet voice of hers. The one he missed so much over the years. His heart leaped out of his chest and into his throat as he choked on his sobs. His arms raised, grabbing the blond by surprise before pulling her into his chest. He had missed her so much, it was unbearable at times. But it was worth it, everything was worth it to be able to see her right now. All the pain, the tears and the worry meant nothing now that she stood in his arms, fitting perfectly as if she were made for him.

Lucy returned the embrace, gripping the back of his shirt tightly, as if afraid that if she didn't hold on then she would lose him once more. He could feel her own body shaking from the sobs she had tried to hold back. Her hat blew off into the distance, but neither cared as they continued to hold each other. Natsu lowered them both to their knee's, his grip on the girl never loosening.

They sat there upon the docks, crying in each others arms. But for once, these were tears of happiness instead of sorrow. Natsu pulled away just slightly, his forehead pressed against hers as he wiped away the tears that continued to fall. He smiled through his own tears, unbelievably happy to have her here. She smiled back before a light giggle escaped.

The giggle was like music to his ears as he began to chuckle. Laughter surrounded them as they both felt better than they had in years. The laughter died down but their smiled never left as they stared deeply into the others eyes.

"I love you Lucy, and I have missed you so much." He whispered. Her eyes widened before she leaped into his strong yet gentle arms. Sobs coming from her once more. His hand rubbed her back, trying to comfort the crying girl but neither would be able to stop any time soon.

"I love you too, Natsu!" Her voice was muffled from the fabric that covered his chest. He felt pride and excitement swell inside him when he heard those words. His grip on her tightened, pulling her closer to his heart where she belonged, and where he planned to keep her for the rest of his life.

True love always finds a way, no matter how long it takes.


End file.
